2023-03-31-annual-report

Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the Financial Year ending 31 St March 2023 nihospice.org O@ooJ @ H••d Offic• 18 0'Neill Road, Newlownabbey. 8T36 6W8

Table of Contents

Message from Chairman - ................................................................................................................................. 2 - 3 Message from Acting Chief Executive Officer ......................................................................................................... 4 Trustee and Other Information ............................................................................................................................... 5 Report of the Board of Trustees....................................................................................................................... 6 - 46 Independent Auditor’s Report ......................................................................................................... 47 - 51 Company Statement of Financial Activities ........................................................................................... 52 Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities ..................................................................................... 53 Company Balance Sheet As At 31 March 2023 ...................................................................................... 54 Consolidated Balance Sheet As At 31[st] March 2023 ............................................................................................. 55 Company Statement of Cash Flows for the Financial Year Ended 31[st] March 2023 ............................................. 56 Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the Financial Year 31[st] March 2023 .................................................. 57 Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Financial Year Ended 31[st] March 2023 .. 58 - 88

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Message from Chairman

When friends and colleagues heard I was considering volunteering as Chairman, they expressed some concerns and advised careful consideration given the scale of challenges facing the sector. The perfect storm of an economic crisis, extraordinary inflationary increases across food, fuel, and utility costs, combined with a depreciating level of funding from government and increasing demand for our services, made them understandably worried. Some were more blunt! When I asked my wife, who knows me best, she smiled, “Of course you will do it.” she said. “You cannot help yourself!”

Likewise, this is not just a job for our dedicated and talented staff and not just a hobby for our brilliant volunteers, fundraisers and Trustees, there is something inside all of them which they cannot help. This suits me. I just like working with good people who make a difference for our community.

And what a difference! NI Hospice proudly delivers invaluable specialist palliative care and support to local individuals and their families during their greatest time of need. For almost forty years the NI Hospice staff, volunteers and trustees have shown (along with our NHS brothers and sisters) what our often divided and broken community could and should be like - our Hospice family has only one label…”anyone who needs our care”

You may not know that our care extends well beyond the walls of Hospice and Childrens Hospice and into the homes of people across Northern Ireland. We have seven dedicated Specialist Community Nursing Teams who, in 2022/23, provided care and support for a total of 2,698 patients and their families right within their communities. Our Specialist Community Nurses enable people to receive dignity maintaining care in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by their loved ones.

In 2022/23, it took over £20.1m – an increase of £1.8m from the previous year - to run Northern Ireland Hospice. We cared for over 4,200 babies, children and adults in total, all living with life limiting and lifethreatening illnesses, significantly alleviating the demands on our already overstretched NHS service. All this thanks to our staff and the wonderful people who support us with their time, skills and donations.

The majority of NI Hospice funding comes from the generosity and kindness of the local community. We only receive about 34% of our costs from the Government. This year, like all charities, we are facing severe financial challenges due to the current economic and political climate. Our energy costs have increased by 41% and the cost-of-living crisis has increased costs of staff salaries as well as clinical supplies, housekeeping supplies, catering etc. In effect this means the funding needed to maintain our services is not enough to keep pace with costs and increasing demand. That is a sobering thought given the demand for our care services is predicted to double in the next 10 years.

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Message from Chairman (continued)

Despite these major challenges it is with great pleasure that we share the recognition we have received from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) for the excellent standard of our care services. The RQIA's acknowledgement of the high morale and commitment demonstrated by our care teams is testament to the unwavering dedication and passion they bring to their work each day.

I extend my sincerest appreciation to all our incredible staff and volunteers for their ongoing commitment to excellence.

In 2022/23, NI Childrens Hospice cared for over 317 babies and children as well as their parents, siblings, grandparents, and extended family. Our Children’s Services is a key part of our specialist palliative care services. We are the only Children’s Hospice in Northern Ireland, and we provide specialist palliative for babies and children with life-limiting illnesses. We support children and their families with specialist clinical care, practical nursing care, and emotional and psychological support, both in our In-Patient Unit in Horizon House and in family homes across Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Hospice has 700 dedicated volunteers who generously invest their time and enthusiasm into a variety of fulfilling roles across the organisation. Our volunteers are the backbone of Hospice, and we could not provide our services without them.

NI Hospice also has a thriving retail operation with 24 Hospice Shops located throughout Northern Ireland, packed with quality pre-loved goods donated by the public. The fantastic work they do raises £1.25 million per year to directly fund care provision.

Our NI Hospice and Children’s Hospice family will always have our arms outstretched ready to wrap them around babies, little children, adults and their families who need our help. Within those arms, their symptoms will be controlled, their fears allayed, allowing them, with their dignity maintained in a place of peace, to make lasting memories with their families, as themselves, their real selves, not defined by their illness.

“ What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?” George Eliot This is what we do, we think it is the best thing that we do.

With kind regards, Gerry

Dr Gerry Millar MBE, Chair, NI Hospice and NI Childrens Hospice.

3

Message from Acting Chief Executive Officer

As Acting Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Hospice and Children’s Hospice, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to our Annual Report. I am honoured to present a comprehensive overview of our organisation's achievements and milestones, as well as the challenges we have navigated over the past year.

Over the course of the last year, our teams have worked tirelessly to deliver care to individuals and families in need of our vital services. The demand for palliative care services is ever-increasing and our teams have surpassed themselves in delivering exceptional quality care and in supporting patients and families to have the best quality of life, right through to the end of their lives. Our teams have also continued to provide essential support to bereaved families, helping them to adjust to life in the absence of their loved one and ensuring care continues for as long as that support may be needed.

I couldn't be more proud of the entire Northern Ireland Hospice family for consistently going above and beyond the call of duty in their support for our patients and their families.

Last year was a momentous year for our Children’s services as we marked 21 years of Children's Hospice care at Horizon House. To commemorate this significant milestone, we brought Elmer’s Big Belfast Trail, a family-friendly ten-week public art trail, to Belfast. The event saw over 70 eye-catching and colourful elephant sculptures displayed in iconic locations across Belfast City Centre, uniquely designed by local artists, schools, and community groups. The event generated huge footfall and economic benefits to Belfast, attracting a phenomenal 241,935 visitors, with a total event economic impact of £12.5m.

We also co-hosted the All-Island Children’s Palliative Care Conference to mark 21 years of Children’s Hospice care gathering like-minded individuals and experts around the world to explore and shape the future of children's hospice care. We are very appreciative of the generous support we have received from our local community over the past two decades who have helped to fund the continued delivery of our services and enabled us to be there for children and families when they need us most.

Looking ahead, I am hopeful for the future of Northern Ireland Hospice, despite the obvious challenges we face. As an organisation, we remain committed to enhancing our fundraising efforts, forging and strengthening our community and corporate partnerships, and exploring innovative avenues to secure the necessary funds to sustain and develop our services. We also remain committed to investing in our staff and their well-being through greater communication, appropriate resources, and training.

None of our achievements would be possible without the continued support and generosity of our supporters, volunteers, corporate partners, board members, and our staff. Together, we have achieved remarkable milestones and positively impacted the lives of thousands of families in need. With your ongoing support, I am confident that we can overcome the financial and economic challenges ahead and continue to provide exceptional palliative care to those who need us.

Trevor McCartney Acting Chief Executive Northern Ireland Hospice

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Trustees and Other information

Company Number: NI014817 Charity Number: NIC102337 HMRC Number: XN45696 VAT Number: 308367790 Registered Office: 18 O’Neill Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 6WB

President

Paul Clark MBE

Board of Trustees

Dr Gerry Millar Chair Ian Sheppard (Appointed 5 May 2022) Vice Chair Garth Calow Treasurer Alan Dickson Dr Russell Houston Janice Smyth Andrew Talbot (Term ended 25 August 2023) Adele Martin Martin Murphy Joanne Ramsay Patrick O’Hagan (Appointed 7 July 2022) Steven Cockcroft (Appointed 2 March 2023) David Clements (Term ended 25 November 2022)

Finance Sub-Committee (FSC)

Garth Calow (Chair), Dr Gerry Millar, Alan Dickson and Martin Murphy Nominations and Board Governance Committee (NBGC)

Dr Gerry Millar (Chair), Joanne Ramsay and Andrew Talbot Remuneration Committee (RemCo) Dr Gerry Millar (Chair), Janice Smyth and Garth Calow IT Governance Committee Patrick O’Hagan Corporate Quality Governance Committee Dr Russell Houston Company Secretary Myles McKeown (until 31 July 2023) Gillian Wright (appointed 1 August 2023)

Corporate Leadership Team

Heather Weir Chief Executive Officer Trevor McCartney Director of Corporate Services Mary McCall Director of Commercial and Brand Development (until Feb 23) Deborah Burns Director of Care and Quality Governance Gillian Wright Director of Finance Principal Bankers Danske Bank, Donegall Square West, Belfast, BT1 6JS Solicitors Edwards & Co Solicitors, 28 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA Auditors Finegan Gibson Ltd, Causeway Tower, 9 James St S, Belfast, BT2 8DN

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Report of the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees presents this report together with the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023.

WE ARE NORTHERN IRELAND HOSPICE

We provide specialist palliative care to improve the lives of and provide comfort to babies, children, and adults with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses throughout their lives. We support our patients to have the best quality of life, from diagnosis to the end of their lives, delivering holistic and specialist palliative care which is life affirming and which supports anyone who is affected by a palliative diagnosis including patients, families and health and social care professionals.

We do this through:

Our Hospices

We have two specialist Hospice units, Somerton House, our Adult In-Patient Unit and Horizon House, our Children’s In-Patient Unit, which is the only children’s hospice in Northern Ireland. Our multi-disciplinary teams provide high quality patient-centred specialist palliative care as well as compassionate emotional and spiritual support, wrapping our approach to caring around the entire family.

Our Community Services

We have eight teams of Specialist Community Nurses that deliver care across Northern Ireland. These nurses support children, adults, and their families by working closely with social workers, GPs, District Nurses and community pharmacy to identify each person’s needs and develop personalised care plans which reflect individual choice.

Our Hospice at Home service provides one-to-one nursing care during the day, evening, or night to allow family members to have a break and look after their own wellbeing.

As the largest Hospice care provider in Northern Ireland, we deliver bespoke, high-quality education programmes and contribute to research as a member of the All-Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care and the Palliative Care Research Network Northern Ireland. This enables us to share our expertise for the betterment and furtherance of specialist palliative care for children and adults.

6

Report of the Board of Trustees (continued)

MISSION VISION AND VALUES

Our Vision

Is that infants, children and adults with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses and their families, receive palliative care of the highest standards, thereby maximising their quality of life.

Our Mission

Is to inspire and deliver excellent and compassionate specialist palliative care via effective service models underpinned by exemplary education, innovation, and research.

Our Values

We believe in:

• A culture of respect and acceptance without distinction or judgement, where everyone can belong.

• Acting with courage, compassion, and integrity to add value to all that we do.

• Being pioneering, professional and accountable to deliver our very best.

CHARITABLE PURPOSE

Northern Ireland Hospice (Hospice) provides specialist palliative care services and support at no cost to patients with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses, their carers, and families.

The objectives of Hospice are:

• To promote comfort and relieve the suffering caused by illness of children, young people and adults living with advancing progressive conditions and their families by delivering specialist palliative care services and support (including but not limited to physical, social, spiritual, and psychological support) in Northern Ireland in particular, but not exclusively, through a range of facilities including in-patient hospice units and community services.

• To advance health and well-being, in particular palliative care services and support, through the provision of training for healthcare professionals as well as staff, volunteers, and others, and to conduct, or promote or encourage evaluation and research into the care and treatment of persons suffering from advancing progressive conditions in Northern Ireland and in any part of the world and to disseminate the results thereof.

7

Report of the Board of Trustees (continued)

OUR STRATEGY

The Northern Ireland Hospice Strategic Plan was developed as a roadmap for Hospice from 2018 to 2021. This was extended through to 2022/23 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a new strategy is being developed.

The four objectives of the Strategic Plan were to:

1. Deliver World Class Palliative Care Services in Northern Ireland, supporting infants, children, and adults to live and die well in comfort and safety, surrounded by those most important to them.

2. Demonstrate the impact and value of our vital services, raising awareness of the charity.

3. Live the values of Hospice, making the care of others our motivation to continually learn and grow.

4. Demonstrate organizational excellence in all our activities, at the bedside and in the boardroom.

Keeping our purpose central to decision making and through the advancement of these objectives the Hospice has demonstrated its ability to be agile, resilient, ready to respond and thrive in times of challenge.

In this Annual Report, our focus is on our impact in 2022/23.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

OUR YEAR IN FOCUS

Over the next pages we set out in summary and then in more detail our impact and challenges over the course of this year.

8

Ouryear in Numbers 2153 3876 Children's bed-nights occupied referrals to community services 441 adult in-patient unit Referrals Provided 6,204.5 hours of Hospice at Home care to 315 children Accepted into the Hospice at home service 700+ volunteers gave 126,000 hours to Hospice It took more than Children's inpatient admissions 285 £20.1m to run Nl Hospice 6% Increase in admission from 281 to the adult in-patient unit 133 rated families were able to stay with their children in Horizon House 21 YEARg é RE Six children were admitted for end of life care staying for 00 Children's Hospice Services nights

Our Challenges The historic structure of statutory income continues to be a challenge for Nl Hospice, as with many hospices across the UK. Our funding from the Health Service through various bodie5 Isee note 41. is only 34% of costs, a level which is not sustainable and increases our dependence on the support of individuals and companies in order to deliver these vital service Government funding equates to only 34% of costs. down from 35% in the previous year Pressures on HSC funding The wider Northern Ireland political context renders it increasingly difficult to influence the funding cuts that are being made in the Health Service. particularly in the absence of legislation giving a right to palliative care here, in contrast to the position in England. Fundraising in the current economic context of rising inflation and pressures on household expenditure is a challenge. Whilst thanks to our amazing donors we have seen a 5.396 increase in donations against the previous year, there are increased costs in paper and postage. contributing to an overall increase in fundraising costs. We continue to review how we fundraise to ensure the best possible return on investment. Absence of Nl Assembly making it difficult to influence decisions on funding cuts Right to Palliative Care not in legislation in Northern Ireland We work in a highly regulated environment which whilst ensuring that we can prove the excellent quality of care we provide, also carries a financial burden. Additionally. to attract the best quality staff we pay Agenda for Change rates in line with the wider health service in Northern Ireland and this means that cost of living uplifts are outside of our direct control. Combined with wider inflationary price pressures and the ending of favourable contracts. we have seen significant increases in areas such as heat, light and power141%). We continue to work diligently to manage these costs. Increases of 4-7 % in salary bands in line with Agenda for change Heat Light and Power costs increased by almost £99k141% 4-7% 10

Northern Ireland Hospice

Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements

For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Adult In-Patient Unit Services

The In-Patient Unit in Somerton House is a holistic care facility for patients who require palliative care for complex symptoms. We provide highly-trained specialist doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and volunteers to ensure the patient and family needs are fully supported. The Inpatient Unit is not simply a place where patients are cared for at the end of life, often patients come to the IPU for symptom management so that they can return home to enjoy time with their precious loved ones.

We admitted 285 patients into Somerton House, our In-Patient Unit to be cared for by our multidisciplinary team.

The average length of stay within our In-Patient Unit was 19.3 nights, again an increase in the length of stay from the previous year with occupancy levels remaining high at over 80%. For many of the patients admitted with complex symptoms and diagnoses late in their illness, it has meant that it has not been possible to discharge these patients to return home but to prioritise their comfort and quality of life within the unit. This is highlighted in the referrals, admissions, deaths and discharges data below:

----- Start of picture text -----
Referrals, Admissions, Deaths and Discharges
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
2020/21 2021/22 2022/23
Referrals Admissions Deaths Discharges
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Admissions by age category
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
18-45 46-59 60-65 Over 65
2021/22 2022/23
----- End of picture text -----

We have also seen an increase in the youngest age category of admissions, the under 45s, as well as in the 60-65 age category, again this confirms the pattern of complex symptoms and late diagnoses.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Adult In-Patient Unit Services (continued)

We were delighted to have an inspection visit from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) In our In-Patient Unit in December 2022. RQIA review of performance and the findings from external regulatory reviews have been commendable this year, which is a positive achievement considering the continuing impact of the pandemic coupled with the effect of the cost-of-living crisis on our services.

The RQIA inspection reports for Adults and Children’s services, indicate that NIH’s governance structures, policies and processes are fit for purpose, the charity is well led and the oversight and accountability from the Board is working well.

Adult Community Services

In the community, our eight specialist nursing teams cared for 2,698 patients and their families across the Health & Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland. With commissioned services for each Trust area, NI Hospice demonstrated overperformance in each area, providing an excellent level of palliative care in the home. We helped 2,041 patients to fulfil their wishes to die at home, supported by our specialist nurses who developed a person-centred health plan for each patient. We are however seeing an increase in waiting lists as the levels of demand grow. Some provision has been put in place in year to begin to address this in the Belfast and South Eastern Trust areas through partnership funding with the Strategic Planning and Performance Group of the Department of Health. Negotiations are ongoing in other trust areas.

Community Waiting List

----- Start of picture text -----
200 163175
134 138 139
150 103 120
100 64
40
50 9 21 26 4 15 17 13
0
2021/22 2022/23
----- End of picture text -----

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Adult Community Services (Continued)

Community Referrals, Admissions, Deaths and Discharges

----- Start of picture text -----
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2020/21 2021/22 2022/23
Referrals Patients Treated Deaths Discharges Waiting list
----- End of picture text -----

We have continued our work in the community that has been ongoing since October 2020, with a Specialist Palliative Care Clinical Nurse who is working in partnership with the REACH team to deliver enhanced care in care homes in East Antrim. A similar project has also been piloted on a part-time basis in the mid-Ulster region.

In 2022/23, we continued to advance our work to enhance holistic and specialist palliative care at home through funding from the Cancer Charities Support fund. The work that has been funded until 2024 aims to increase the number of people Northern Ireland Hospice cares for each year alongside GP and District Nursing Key Worker partners and in collaboration with Health & Social Care Trusts. It will provide more encompassing care through a multi-disciplinary approach to community Specialist Palliative Care that includes Hospice Specialist Nursing, Hospice Social Work and Complementary Therapy when appropriate to improve the quality of life of people with cancer in their own homes. The service aims to reduce avoidable hospital attendance and admissions and supports not only the patient but the wider family.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

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Even her room in Hospice was greor, with herown bathroom, it meontthat Icouldstaywith Joanne and get washed without hoving to go home. The r￿M hadits own entrance which led out to the garden. it as lovely to have that space. The team atHospice even gave us our own r(x)m so we couldstayover, they got U5 coffeeandfood in the evening. It 5(xJnds likeju5t little thing5 but whenyou are waitlng andsitting in the room, those things mean the world to a famity. . Tina remembers the drfferent levels of care and allention that they received at Hospice. ryn my work I wouldhfft been coming to Hospice as a salesperson- I never thought I wouldbe coming into the building as a visltor. Butcoming irjto the Oldschoolhouse Cafe fora breakfrom the waiting wa5 amazing, you were immediatelygiven 5￿ce comfortandunderstanding by thestaff and volunteer5- It was a real haven forme.- rhecarejoanne received was ju5tamozing"Beth commented, 1wa5ocareas￿5[0ntandrwoii1dbe very cnticalof the 5tundaTd5 ofcare butlcouldn t foultthe"quaiityofc(ire thatJ(x7nne received. The Healthcore Assistonts cameandchangedJLxHpne, m0kryherconrfDrtob￿jftOftfjkn￿n￿e rety. BetaU5e -. Joanne￿snt￿nscioU5 theirefforts madeall the difference to me- she lookedcomfortt7bleandlike-: herseff which made the situGlion a litile e05ier for us." -joanne was odmittedon Monday andon theSaturday the doctorsaid to me don t go too far today. I was jUSt in the room and myhu5banddecided togo out into the garden, the sun was shining and the garden as beautiful. it wos a verypeocefulmoment. With the rays olthe Sun coming into the room, I was able to S￿nd a quiet moment w1thJ(￿nne andsoymygoodbyes. Iwillneverforget thatmoment. The Hospice team kvorked together to make lifecomforiable for my daughter and itallowed me to be ith her. Ifjoanne had remainedot home. I wouldhave been washing her, turning herandchanging the bedclothe5.1 w(yuldhave had some help but thatl what my last days with Joonne would have been focused on- in5teadof having the time when she wasn'tinpain, was comfortoble ond Icouldsimptyjust be with her." T J Joanne passed away on Saturday 12" October 2019. Rest in Pea￿. LITTLE 4 Northern Ireland Hospice 15

Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Children’s Services

In 2022, we celebrated 21 years of care provided by Horizon House, our purpose-built paediatric InPatient Unit. Throughout the year we celebrated with a range of activities and developed a ‘21 Years of Care’ campaign that ran throughout all children’s activities and messaging.

In May, in partnership with the Antrim & Newtownabbey Council, we hosted a special Tea Party in Antrim Castle Grounds. We invited children and families that have received care since Horizon House opened in 2001, as well as staff, volunteers, trustees and key supporters of the service. The event provided the opportunity to show our appreciation to everyone that has supported our children’s services over the years and to celebrate the level of excellence in our clinical service.

Following a year of planning in October, the 5th All Island Children’s Palliative Care Conference was held in Belfast for the first time, this was due to the commitment and hard work of the Head of Children’s Services, Grace Stewart as co-chair on the Conference Committee. The conference’s overarching theme “Communication: compassion and common ground” explored the aspect of clinical capacity in order to appreciate all the perspectives at play, thinking about the hard questions, when and how they need to be asked and encouraged attendees to examine dignity in life. The conference proved very successful with a full turnout and helped to raise awareness around the vital issue of paediatric palliative care across Ireland.

NI Hospice played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the first antenatal pathway for Northern Ireland. Following the launch of the pathway by the Regional Paediatric & Palliative Care Network, NI Hospice focused on embedding the ‘Tiny Horizons’ service as a key element within the pathway. For the first time parents will now receive consistent support when they receive the terrible diagnosis that their child has a condition that means they will have a shorter life.

In 2022- 23, Children’s Hospice supported 317 children and their families as well as 107 bereaved families and 15 antenatal mothers from across Northern Ireland.

At our 10-bedded Children’s In-Patient unit (Horizon House) we provide specialist short breaks and palliative care to babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions from across Northern Ireland. Our team of skilled staff provide pain and symptom control, respite care, stepped discharge from hospital, end-of-life care and care after death. We strive to address not just a child’s physical needs, but their emotional and spiritual needs too. Our aim is to ensure children with palliative care needs have an improved quality of life and provide a supportive environment at the end of their life. We also understand the impact an illness has on the whole family and offer wide-ranging support for family members.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Children’s Services (cont’d)

Children staying with us can benefit from a range of activities such as: sensory play, soft play, music therapy and arts and crafts. The whole family can enjoy time together making memories.

Our care is delivered by a specialist in-house team of registered children’s nurses, health care assistants, physiotherapists, and social workers. We have a team of local GPs who have been working with Children’s Hospice for many years and are available for all children as necessary 24 hours a day as well as visiting or contacting the hospice every day. We seek to work in partnership with medical teams already providing care to the child and family.

Last year:

• 811 inpatient admissions, a six per cent increase since 2021-22.

• 2153 bed-nights were occupied during the year.

• The average length of stay was 2.6 nights.

• Six children were admitted for end of life care staying for 31 nights.

• 17 nights care after death was provided.

• 133 families were able to stay with their children in Horizon House, despite the changing covid-19 visiting rules.

----- Start of picture text -----
Bed KPI (Nights) Achieved 2022-23 Occupancy (%)
(Nights)
Core 1,500 1,522 106%
I’m Coming Home 310 310 100%
1Hour + 300 300 100%
Funded - 21 -
TOTAL 2,110 2,153
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Diagnostic Category - Referrals Accepted
30
25
20
15
25
10
5 10
6 4 4
3
0
2022-23
----- End of picture text -----

Referrals

58 referrals were made to Children’s Services in the period and 52 referrals accepted. Of these referrals, 30 were for babies aged under one year (seven were neonates). Details of the diagnostic categories of children that were accepted to the service in 2022-23 are given in the graph to the left.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023 Children’s Services (cont’d)

15 antenatal mothers from across Northern Ireland who had received an antenatal diagnosis of a potentially life limiting or life threatening condition for their baby, were supported (an increase of 25%). Our Children’s Hospice Nurse Specialists ensured that the care and support mothers, their babies and their families received at diagnosis and through their antenatal care informed them about choices, advised them about benefits and risks of each option and assisted them, as a family, to plan for any of the possible outcomes for mothers and their babies.

Deaths

We know that every family’s experience of losing a child is unique and always devastating. Some will care for a child with a life-limiting illness for years, others only hours. Whatever the situation, Children’s Hospice provides families with care, support and practical information at the most unbearable of times and helps families to make informed choices about their wishes.

On average, three babies/children that Children’s Hospice cared for died each month (41 in the period), an increase of 11% on the previous year. Over half (54%) were babies aged under one year (14 were neonates).

----- Start of picture text -----
Deaths by Age
15
10
13 14 12
5 10
3 2 7 6 3 3 1 4
0
Pre-birth Newborn to 29 days - 4 5 - 11 Years 12-15 Years 16 - 18 Years
28 days Years
2021-22 2022-23
----- End of picture text -----

Four children who passed away in 2022-2023 were cared for and died in Horizon House. 27% (11 children) were supported by NICH community services to die at home.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023 Children’s Services (cont’d)

Discharges

57 children/young people, bereaved families and antenatal mothers were discharged from the service in 2022-23, compared to 78 in 2021-22.

During the period, 15 children were discharged. 28 bereaved families were also discharged following a minimum period of two years’ bereavement support and 14 antenatal mothers were discharged from antenatal care but supported as family members during their post-natal period.

Family Support

At Children’s Hospice we are committed to providing services for the whole family. Our Family Support team offer 1-1 support to parents, siblings and grandparents and extended family members who require support – we aim to bring families together. Families benefit from peer support via coffee mornings, parent support groups, Mums and Dad’s days, family days and bereavement support groups.

During 2022-2023, our team of qualified Social Workers and our counsellor provided complex and specialist therapeutic support via 264 face to face contacts and 316 virtual contacts, this included 30 one-to-one counselling sessions. Additionally, 19 events were organised and attended by 263 family members.

Community Services

Children’s Hospice Nurse Specialist (CHNSs) are community-based and provide 24-hour support to families at home, working alongside other health and care providers.

In 2022-2023, CHNSs made 302 face to face interactions and 611 virtual contacts with children and their families. They also worked in conjunction with NHS colleagues making 309 contacts with them in the period.

Hospice at Home

Our registered Hospice at Home nurses and healthcare assistants provide care and respite in a child’s home allowing parents/carers to take some time out knowing their child is being cared for by our highly trained and experienced team.

Last year, we provided over 6200 hours of Hospice at Home care to 51 children who reside in the Northern, South Eastern and Southern Health & Social Care Trust areas .

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Ii++l S+AYS E;Iino¥A +++ Meet our Little Star Four-year-old Eilinora- also known as Nora - lives with a rare genetic condition and has been cared for by Hospice since she was two. Her mum, Grace, tells us the story of Nora. Nora is very bold - she loves her brother and 515ter but loves to hear them getting told offl. She loves it when people talk and sing to her. music, and stories. She loves lights, getting out for walks and going in the hot tub and the bath. Nora developed normally for her first three or four months and then started to have seizures which they initially thought were infantile spasms.Then we got the diagnosis she had SCN8A, a rare genetic condition that can cause a whole spectrum of things that she suffers with - seizures, developmental delays, feeding issues, respiratory issues - all sorts of issues. She is non-verbal but definitely tells you when she d(*sn't like somethingl We also get Squea￿ and smiles, a lot more smiles this year. Fingers crossed they last. Shes always got a little smile for her daddy. When Nora was alx)ut two. we had some serious feeding issues and were in hospital for a long time.That was when H05pice got involved. We met R05ie. the palliative care nurse linked with the Royal Hospltal. A hospital nurse told me. Yhepalliative care team ore coming to meetyou-. Immediately I was thinking. -They know Something I don't. This Is reallybad. Whyare wemeeting thepalliative care teamr I was scared and really re5iSted it. I piobably wasn't the nicest to Rosiel But they were really patient with us, persistent and respecrful as they talked us through it. We fealised that it s notjust about caring for Nora at the end of her life, It has been much more than that. I'm so glad I stopped resisting. Hospice has done a lot for us.Ourcommunity care hospice nurse, Bethany Mccracken, became our guardian angel. She couldn't have done any more for us. We've had Hospice at Home where Hospice nurses have come here and sat with Nora. which was great - especially when Eilinoras younger brother Fionn was a little baby- so I could nap ordo the dishe 20

We missed the assisted short breaks in the Children's Hospice during COMD. We all visited before the pandemic kicked in- Fionn was a month old at that point- so it was full on, but great. Edie has done the Hospices summer schemes. It's good for her just being around other siblings that have sisters or brothers like Nora. We've been able to Stay more Tecently at Hospice. For us. theres nothing better than being able to go and put your head on the pillow and get a full night s sleep, knowing that Nora's safe with people you can trust. Nora loves itl Shes pampered like a princess when she¥ there.They do massage, painting and music therapy. We arrived back one day. and she was on the water bed in the sensory rcM)m with someone playing guitar and singing to her. A lovely way to spend an afternoonl When we go there. they set up the den and we can all sit together stress-free as 3 family and watch a movie. And if Nora needs suctioned or has a seizure halfway through, they can take care of that. There are little things that FEople take for granted that are so important. It doesn't happen very often, but Hospices support makes those things possible for me and my husband, Gerard. It isjust really, really important to us and makes life more bearable. Whenever you live a life like this. it's hard. But when theres people that help you and care about you and genuinely will do anything they can to help you, there's nothing like it. Northern Ireland Childrens Hospice +,Li++lt + + S+AYS Northern Ireland Children's Hospice 18 0'Neill Road Newtownabbey BT36 6WB Tel: [phone] www.nihospice.orgllittlestars R•gknt•r•dwlth FUNDRAISING REGULATOR Charity Number NICI02337 21

Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Fundraising

The lingering effects of COVID-19 and the current economic climate continue to pose significant financial challenges for our Fundraising Teams as we navigate our way through an unprecedented costof-living crisis, combined with cost pressures associated with the rise in inflation, soaring energy bills, and a fall in donations.

Despite the challenges presented, we remained steadfast and committed to our efforts in generating vital income through new and innovative fundraising campaigns and events. Staple campaigns such as Hospice Walks, Big Coffee Break, Kindness Counts and Lights to Remember continued to be the foundation of our fundraising efforts.

2022 was also a year of reflection and celebration as we celebrated 21 years of care in Horizon House, our Children’s In-Patient Unit. To mark this significant milestone, we hosted Elmer’s Big Belfast Trail, a ten-week public art trail throughout Belfast City Centre which saw 250,000 people actively engage with the trail and generating a total event economic impact of £12.5m.

Here are some of our key fundraising highlights throughout the year;

Lights to Remember

The easing of lockdown restrictions enabled us to facilitate our popular in-person Lights to Remember event, following a two-year hiatus. There was a huge demand for the ticketed service with over 600 guests coming together to remember and honour their special loved ones. The online service was supported by the creation of our online virtual Christmas tree where people could leave dedications for their special loved ones. The feedback from the in-person event was overwhelmingly positive with many families finding mutual support, comfort, and hope from our special service.

Kindness Counts

Partnering with local primary and secondary schools across Northern Ireland, we continued to champion the Kindness Counts message through our targeted Schools campaign, Kindness Counts. The campaign was hugely successful with 43 schools taking part, collectively raising a phenomenal £30,151.95. This is an increase of 20 schools from the previous year and a 348% increase in donations from 20/21. Relationship building and networking throughout the campaign were fundamental to its success. Pharmacy Plus came on board as our official campaign sponsor which helped to drive campaign recruitment, greater brand awareness and visibility, and delivered a greater return on investment.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Fundraising (cont’d)

Hospice Walks

Community-led events such as our annual Hospice Walks proved to be a hit with the general public. 2022 saw the return of our in-person walks with 7 scenic walks and 3 challenge walks taking place across the country. Hundreds of supporters came together and joined in the fun to walk in memory or in support of their special loved ones – raising an incredible £65,000 for Hospice.

Elmer’s Big Belfast Trail

To celebrate 21 years of care at Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, we partnered with Anderson Press and Wild in Art to bring Elmer’s Big Belfast Trail – a ten-week public art trail to Belfast. The event saw over 70 elephant sculptures dotted across Belfast city centre, many of which were painted by local schools as part of the Elmer Learning Programme, and the remainder by renowned artists.

Relationship building and networking for the campaign were key with many leading companies coming on board to support the trail, including Belfast City Council, Antrim and Newtownabbey Council, Ulster University, O'Neill's Sportswear, Lost City Adventure Golf, and more. The event generated huge footfall and economic benefits to Belfast with 241,935 visitors with a total event economic impact of £12.5m.

Business of Caring

We received magnificent support from businesses and organisations across Northern Ireland who responded positively to our new Business of Caring Corporate Partnership programme. In return, companies were able to strengthen their brand image with a positive association to Northern Ireland Hospice and boost staff morale with various team-building activities, and much more. Thank you to all our business partners for their ongoing support.

Fundraising in the community

It is only through the outstanding support, generosity, and commitment of our wonderful supporters that we can continue to provide our much-needed services to patients and families across Northern Ireland. Here are some fundraising highlights of events which our amazing supporters organised throughout 2022/23.

Livingstone Tractor Run

The Livingstone Christmas Tractor Run returned for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and took place on Saturday, December 31, 2022. 754 tractors participated in the 2022 run, making it the biggest one to date. In total, an incredible £153,415 was raised from the event and between the Southern Area Hospice, NI Children’s Hospice and NI Air Ambulance with Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice receiving £51,138.40. The Livingstone family said: “This was a great year, and we are delighted to raise this amount this year with the fantastic support of Ben Sergeant, local businesses and the public.”

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Fundraising (cont’d) Fundraising in the community (cont’d)

Madison Wright’s Gala Ball

Our 16-year-old Youth Ambassador, Madison Wright swapped the classroom for the ballroom and hosted a black-tie gala ball to mark 21 years of the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice in the Titanic Hotel, Belfast. The kind-hearted teenager raised £38,000 to help support Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and continues to fundraise extensively for Hospice.

Bob & Berts

Our charity partners, Bob & Berts stepped up to the plate once again and continued to show their commitment to Northern Ireland Hospice by raising a phenomenal £22k for Northern Ireland Hospice. Staff across all Bob & Berts cafés organised a variety of fun-filled fundraising activities to raise muchneeded funds for Hospice and encouraged customers to make an optional £1 donation on every purchase. The continued support of Bob & Berts is helping us make a huge difference to local people and families who depend on our lifeline services.

Danielle Short

Danielle Short, family and friends strutted their way to raising a 'fab-u-lous' £17K for the Children's Hospice by hosting a Strictly Come Dancing event in memory of her beloved son, Michael. The event was a huge success with hundreds of people attending the sold-out event at the Devenish on the night to support the Children’s Hospice.

Retail

Northern Ireland Hospice has a thriving retail operation with 24 Hospice Shops located across Northern Ireland. Our fantastic retail staff and volunteers helped deliver a record-breaking £1.2m in sales and processed 600,000 sales transactions. This was only made possible thanks to the hard work, passion, and commitment of our staff and 532 volunteers who go above and beyond to help raise much-needed funds to support the continued delivery of our services.

We continued to expand and modernise our retail offering by refurbishing our Finaghy Hospice Shop to enable a greater shopping experience for both new and existing customers.

Keeping up-to-date with the ever-changing consumer shopping habits, we identified a demand for an economical yet high-quality, wedding dress shop. In 2022, we brought this innovative idea to life and opened a dedicated wedding shop in our Glengormley flagship store selling a range of exquisite wedding gowns and suits, alongside party dresses, bridesmaids dresses, mother-of-the-bride outfits, shoes and accessories.

Despite the challenges presented post-COVID, and the current cost of living crisis, our staff and volunteers remain agile and receptive to new ways of raising income. For example, we recently partnered with HARU, a local e-commerce company, helping us to sell high-quality and designer clothing items competitively on the marketplace.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Volunteers

Underpinning all of our work and our ability to provide specialist palliative care to local patients and their families, is our volunteers. We are incredibly grateful to have the support of over 700 committed and passionate volunteers working across the organisation, providing over 126,000 hours of their time to enhance the quality of care and support that Northern Ireland Hospice provides to those who need it. This amounts to over £1.2m of hours at current minimum wage and carries even greater value for the organisation.

Our volunteers donate their time in so many incredible ways across our organisation – from volunteering in our shops to offering support to patients and their families and helping in our hospice gardens and offices.

The impact of our volunteers cannot be understated. They make a significant contribution, both in time and cost savings, enabling us to be even more efficient and direct more funds to the provision of our vital care service.

To acknowledge the important contribution and long-standing service volunteers gave to Hospice in 2022, we hosted a special celebratory event for our Support Group volunteers and those working across our Adult and Children’s Hospice services. We are thankful to have so many wonderful and dedicated volunteers who have volunteered at Hospice for many years, some have even been with us from the start of Hospice services!

Volunteer recruitment remains a key priority for us as a charity as our volunteer numbers reduced dramatically throughout COVID-19. Whilst they have started to improve, we hope to build on this with a dedicated volunteer recruitment campaign throughout the summer months.

Corporate Services

Throughout 2022/23 the Corporate Services teams continued to work on a hybrid basis, whilst ensuring compliance with best practice and all relevant regulations.

We have developed and implemented Business Continuity plans across all areas and streamlined internal work flows to enhance service delivery and performance. In order to reduce our carbon footprint we have enhanced our performance on emissons reporting. We have commenced a Digital Futures project in order to make effective use of digital technology critical for NI Hospice to deliver on our key objectives.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

OUR PEOPLE

NI Hospice recognises that its people and their passion, commitment and dedication are key to its success in providing excellent care to our patients and support to their families across Northern Ireland.

As we recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the continued development and wellbeing of our staff have remained our main priorities.

We will continue to:

• Attract and retain key talent - we have successfully recruited our first IT higher level apprentice and nurse through sponsorship.

• Introduce channels for two-way engagement and feedback across the NI Hospice for management and staff of all levels.

• Implement wellbeing initiatives through our Wellbeing Strategy.

• Recognise our people and reward their performance and dedicated service.

• Develop our people professionally and personally in a supportive, diverse and inclusive environment where we can empower them to be their best.

• Strive to be an employer of choice.

Following on from last year's Best Companies survey, where we received a “one to watch” rating, we have listened to the feedback from our teams, and this has enabled us to empower our staff to share their feedback. We have been able to implement initiatives to promote engagement, two-way communication, and inclusion, to give our people a “voice” in the organisation and to nurture the feelings of being valued.

We want our people to perform to their best and in support of this we have adopted a more flexible approach, where possible, to enable the balance between work life and home life whilst meeting service needs.

We have introduced our Wellbeing Strategy where the focus has been on 4 key areas:

• Mental health

• Physical health

• Financial wellbeing

• Social wellbeing

A series of Wellbeing Cafes were hosted to give staff the opportunity to give their feedback on their wellbeing and tell us what was important to them. This feedback has formed our three-year wellbeing action plan. A number of initiatives across all four pillars have already been introduced in which staff engaged, and feedback has been positive.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

OUR FUTURE PLANS

In the context of the significant reductions in Health and Social Care budgets for 2023/24 and the ongoing cost of living crisis, the Board and Leadership Team are reviewing the strategy of the organization and it is expected that this will be completed in 2023/24.

Our focus continues to be on the delivery of excellent palliative care across Northern Ireland and we will continue to develop and shape services to be as effective and impactful as possible.

Work continues to raise the profile of our work in specialist palliative care, and to advocate for access to these services for all citizens in Northern Ireland, and for fair funding from government for this work. We work closely to support the Health Service in Northern Ireland, freeing up GP time and beds in hospital wards.

As the largest provider of children’s and adult’s specialist palliative care in Northern Ireland we will continue to work across all available networks to influence funding and improve delivery of palliative care services.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023 Report of the Board of Trustees (continued)

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The consolidated financial statements comprise the results of Northern Ireland Hospice and Northern Ireland Hospice (Trading) Limited, together they are known as the ‘Group’.

Northern Ireland Hospice owns 100% of the issued share capital of Northern Ireland Hospice (Trading) Limited, the results of which have been consolidated with the financial statements of Hospice on the basis of net profit before taxation.

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities for the financial year ended 31 March 2023 and the Consolidated Balance Sheet at that date are set out on pages 53 and 55, respectively. The net movement in funds for the financial year, after depreciation and other recognised gains and losses, amounted to a £3m income (2021/22: net expenditure £0.1m).This arises due to a net expenditure of £1.9m offset by gains on the pension scheme valuation of £5.2m and losses on investments of £0.3m. Work continues to address the underlying net deficit.

Income

The main sources of income are from donations and legacies and from statutory grants. Overall, Group Income has increased by 10.6% from £16.5m in 2021/22 to £18.2m in 2022/23, mainly due to a £1.6m increase in Legacies.

	2023	2022	Change
Group Income	£’000	£'000	£'000
Donations and legacies	7,990	6,095	1,895
Charitable activities	6,790	6,398	392
Other trading activities - retail shops	3,269	2,839	430
Investment and other income	166	1,139	(973)
Total Group Income	18,215	16,471	1,744
Less: Charitable Activities – COVID funding	-	(224)	224
Total Group Income excluding COVID funding	18,215	16,247	1,968

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Report of the Board of Trustees (continued)

FINANCIAL REVIEW (Continued)

----- Start of picture text -----
Total Income by Type
20,000
18,215
18,000
16,472
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
7,990
8,000 6,790
6,095 6,399
6,000
3,269
4,000 2,839
2,000 1,140
166
-
Donations and Charitable activities Other trading Investment and Total Income
legacies activities - retail other income
shops
2022/23 2021/22
£'000
----- End of picture text -----

Donations and legacies

Income received from donations and legacies has increased by £1.9m or 31%, from £6.1m in 2021/22 to £8m in 2022/23. This is mainly a result of an increase in legacy income received from £1.3m in 2021/22 to £2.9m in 2022/23.

Charitable activities

Income from charitable activities increased by £0.4m, from £6.4m in 2021/22 to £6.8m in 2022/23. The £0.4m related to the statutory contracts and equated to a 6% increase, reflecting contract uplifts on the previous year, combined with over performance against targets and funding for cost pressures in year. The remaining increase relates mainly to funding for specific projects including funding for the Department of Health special recognition payment to staff and education initiatives. As noted in challenges above, this Health Service funding, whilst increasing, is not at a sustainable level, and the absence of local decision making powers is impacting our ability to influence funding allocations.

Other trading activities - retail shops

Hospice (Trading) retail shops were fully operational in 2022-23 versus only 11 months in the prior year, resulting in an increase in income of £0.4m, from £2.8m in 2021/22 to £3.2m in 2022/23.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW (Continued)

Investment and other income

Other income decreased in the year from £1.1m in 2021/22 to £0.3m in 2022/23, a decrease of £0.8m. This was primarily driven by prior year profit on sale of property and pandemic related income. These were partially offset by additional income from investments in the year.

Expenditure

Overall, Group Expenditure has increased by £1.8m or 9.7%, from £18.3m in 2021/22 to £20.1m in 2022/23.

022/23.
Group Expenditure Raising funds Charitable activities Expenditure before retail shops* Other - retail shops	2022/23 2021/22 Change
	£’000 £'000 £'000
	2,795 2,097 698
	14,693 13,925 768
	17,488 16,022 1,466
	2,624 2,321 303
Total Group Expenditure	20,112 18,343 1,769
Further analysed as follows: Pay costs Operating costs Depreciation	14,382 13,257 1,125 5,073 4,559 514 657 527 130 20,112 18,343 1,769
Total Group Expenditure

*Excludes the intercompany management charge of £142k (2021/22: £142k)

It cost £20.1m in 2022/23 to operate Hospice, an increase of £1.8m or 9.6%. This is largely from increases in pay costs of £1.1m due to headcount and Agenda for Change pay rates. Operating costs have increased due to the one-off Elmer campaign in Fundraising and continued rise utilities. These are partially offset by a decrease in the current service cost of the pension scheme.

The cost to operate the retail shops increased by £303k in 2022/23, primarily due to a £214k increase in pay costs.

The net expenditure for 2022/23 was £1.9m, in line with a net expenditure of £1.9m in 2021/22.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW (Continued)

The Trustees are concerned about the risks of increasing costs, impact of external factors, and how the statutory income has historically been structured which leads to an underlying deficit. Significant work to address these challenges and improve this position continues.

Total Expenditure by Type

----- Start of picture text -----
25,000
20,112
20,000
18,344
14,693
15,000 13,927
10,000
5,000
2,795 2,096 2,624 2,321
-
Raising funds Charitable activities Other - retail shops Total Expenditure
Axis Title
2022/23 2021/22
£'000
----- End of picture text -----

Balance Sheet

The Group Balance Sheet is presented in the table below.	2022/23	2021/22	Change
	£’000	£'000	£'000
Fixed assets	21,407	23,158	(1,751)
Net current assets	2,401	2,290	111
Non-current assets/(liabilities)	1,979	(2,658)	4,637
Total	25,787	22,790	2,997
Restricted funds	338	482	(144)
Unrestricted funds	25,449	22,308	3,141
Total	25,787	22,790	2,997

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW (Continued)

Fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets have decreased by £317k in the year. Additions of £340k offset with depreciation of £657k. Investments have decreased by £1.46m to £6m primarily due to draw downs to facilitate cashflow. Intangible assets of £58k relate to website development work.

Net current assets ance

Net current assets have increased by £111k in the year. The main drivers of this increase are as follows:

• Increase in legacies of £1.1m due to a large notification in March 23

• Decrease in trade debtors of £277k relating to statutory funding

• Increase in prepayments and accrued income £292k

• Decrease in cash of £1m.

Non-current assets/liabilities

Non-current liabilities relating to the NILGOSC pension scheme (£2.658m FY21-22) have become an asset of £1.979m in current year due to changes in actuarial financial assumptions.

Reserves Policy

The Board of Trustees recognises the requirement for reserves and aims to have a level of free reserves equivalent to three months’ future running costs. At 31 March 2023, Hospice has free reserves of £10m, which covers 6 months of our planned operating expenditure going forward. These reserves help to ensure that the finances of the hospice remain in a sustainable position.

Our reserve position is heavily impacted by our high asset base which includes specialist hospice properties which the Board have no intention of selling. The trustees monitor our reserves position and the cash in bank balances on a regular basis to ensure there is no immediate risk to the Hospice.

Investment Policy

Investments are usually made in short term bank deposits in conjunction with cash flow requirements for the organisation. These deposits are placed only with reputable institutions.

During the year, Hospice invested in a portfolio investment with our investment advisors Close Brothers, who have been instructed to maximise the return on the funds invested within the constraints of a medium risk portfolio.

The investment position of the organisation is reviewed by the Finance Sub-Committee on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Close Brothers report annually to the Board on the performance of the portfolio.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW (Continued)

Going Concern

The financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis.

The trustees have reviewed Hospice’s financial position and consequently believe there are sufficient resources to manage any operational or financial risks. The Board considers there is a reasonable expectation that Hospice has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least 12 months from the date of signing of the accounts and the Board are unaware of any additional material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may case significant doubt upon Hospice’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Risks and Uncertainties

Due to the historic structure of statutory income and the pressure of increasing costs, the group has been incurring an underlying deficit. Exacerbated by current economic and other external factors, including the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on costs and ways of working, Trustees are concerned about the underlying deficit risks and significant work to address these challenges and improve this position continues.

The trustees have taken into consideration the existing and anticipated effects of these risks and uncertainties on the organisation’s activities and finances in its assessment of the appropriateness of the use of the going concern basis. We continue to adapt our fundraising plan to take account of the changing landscape and are reviewing our strategy and related plans to deliver the best outcomes possible within the available resources. Management continue to carefully monitor the situation and evaluate its options during this time. No adjustments have been made to these financial statements as a result of this uncertainty.

The Board therefore considers there is a reasonable expectation that Hospice has adequate resources to continue in operational existence. The Board is aware that should circumstances change service levels will have to be revised in line with the income available.

Post Balance Sheet Events

There have been no significant events affecting Hospice since the financial year end that would result in the adjustment of the financial statements or inclusion of a note therein.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Report of the Board of Trustees (continued)

PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

The Board of Trustees and Corporate Leadership and Management Team, through the corporate governance framework, identify and manage the risks to which the charity is exposed. Our Board and Corporate Leadership and Management Team have assiduously monitored the activity of the organisation both in terms of service delivery and quality as well as financial reporting. We are satisfied that our continued vision for the people we support to provide comfort and quality of life for our patients, whilst supporting their families and relieving fear and suffering associated with loss. Our work, which is based on the values of the respect and acceptance, compassion, courage, and integrity, and being pioneering, professional and accountable, is very much in evidence from our activities during the financial year.

The Board established our risk appetite. This identifies potential risk events that may affect the charity and seeks to manage those risks. It also seeks to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of our strategic objectives.

It is the role of Trustees, the Corporate Leadership and Management Team to assess the risk and define our operational objectives, assigning responsibility throughout the organisation to each manager and employee responsible for the appropriate management of risk.

Directors and senior staff are accountable for strategic risk management within areas under their control including the devolution of the risk management process to operational managers. Senior staff are accountable to the Chief Executive for implementation, annual reporting on the status of the Risk Register, on-going maintenance of the Risk Register and ensuring compliance with risk assessment procedures. The Chief Executive is responsible for maintaining the Risk Register and for reviewing it bi-annually including proposing any changes to the Board for approval.

Risk Management is a standing agenda item for all Board meetings. A comprehensive planning process, together with established systems and procedures, enables trustees to assess and address risks associated with governance, strategy, clinical, health and safety, reputation, finance, operations, other external factors, and the future capacity to deliver services. These systems have also enabled the charity to adjust to serious and significant events such as our ability to consider the effect of Covid-19 and our ability to continue to provide a primary service during extreme circumstances.

Operational Risks

Operational risk is the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, systems, or human factors. Operational risk can manifest itself in various ways including shortage of key skills, clinical incidents, inappropriate behaviour of employees, failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations or failure to perform in line with contractual arrangements. These events could result in financial losses, litigation, and regulatory fines as well as other damage to the organisation.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

The principal operational risks identified by Northern Ireland Hospice and the mitigating actions are noted below:

oted below:
Operational Risk	Mitigating Actions
Staffing	 Regular focused engagement with the Department of Health on regional workforce planning and recruitment.  3-year work force planning in development with greater focus on succession planning.  Future medical workforce planning reflects a hybrid model of trainee and non- trainee posts, reducing dependency on locums whilst retaining the Hospice status as a training centre.
Finance	 Finance sub-committee established with particular focus on budget and control  Regular management updates on budgetary position. Contingency planning scenarios developed with a focus on financing.  Fundraising communications focused on online events, moving away from traditional fundraising activities.  Ongoing discussions with SPPG and Department on financial and material support through government grants  Ongoing planningof strategic income initiatives
Technology	 Development of Cyber Essentials to provide assurance on Hospice IT Security and compliance of standards.  UPS configuration upgraded in main server room (Horizon) to include all IT infrastructure, phones and switches. Key software servers also upgraded.  Engagement with staff on cyber risks has increased with improved vigilance.  Telephone system development
Clinical Incidents	 Policies and procedures in place to prevent incidents as well as management of incidents and implementation of learning.  Bi-monthly reporting of incidents to Board as well as ability to report serious incidents immediately if required.  Risk and Dashboards monitored by clinical teams and Governance Committee.  Incident reporting software now embedded  Adherence to regulatoryrequirements(RQIA and CharityCommission).

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

The principal operational risks identified by Northern Ireland Hospice and the mitigating actions are continued below:

ntinued below:
Governance and Hospice Reputation	 Effective policies and procedures put in place to ensure compliance with health and safety and other regulatory requirements.  Corporate Quality Governance Committee established with Board oversight.  Review of risk register process with established format and presentation of Strategic Corporate Risk Register. Engagement with external regulatory bodies around service delivery and performance (e.g., NIPSO, RQIA, Fundraising regulator, Charities Commission).  Achievement of ISO Standards 9001 and 45001 for Estates department Quality Management and Safety Management activities including capital works, maintenance and asset management.  Development and roll-out of risk management software ongoing.
Data Analysis & Management	 Review of systems available to ensure data managed effectively and to improve report functionality.  Consideration of internal Quality Improvement Programme to regularly review data accuracy and systems for ensuring that the data is SMART.  Independent assessment of data including analysis of statistical information.  QualityIndices reports completion and review.
COVID 19 Pandemic (risk downgraded post year, but still being monitored)	The NIH Board and senior management have taken steps to ensure that the risks faced by Covid-19 have been mitigated, as far as possible. These steps have included:  Constant review and update of position regarding adult services, children’s and community activity including assessment of financial position and impact of Covid on budget  Liaison with Departmental authorities on procedures to be followed  Scenario plans established to ensure contingency for multiple options  Staff encouraged to work from home where possible and supported with IT  Restrictions imposed for visitingthe office

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Report of the Board of Trustees (continued)

STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

Board Members and Structure

As trustees of a charitable company, all trustees are the company directors. Trustees are from diverse backgrounds in health, business, and professional life. This ensures a broad range of experience and skills are brought to Board deliberations.

A minimum of eight to a maximum of fourteen trustees can be on the Board. Six members of the Board are elected from and by the members of the charitable company. Up to six trustees are invited by the Board. The Board has the option to co-opt up to a further two trustees. Both ‘elected’ and ‘invited’ trustees may serve for a maximum of two terms of four years each, following which, they must stand down for a minimum of two years.

The office bearers of Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer are chosen from within the Board. The office bearers can remain in office for up to three years and this can be extended for a further three years.

Induction is provided to new trustees and training is provided as required in areas such as risk, safeguarding, child protection, and other relevant charity governance matters. Trustees adhere to a Code of Conduct and a Declaration of Interests is completed annually.

Trustees are not in receipt of any remuneration for their services to Hospice but are reimbursed for any incidental expenses claimed. There were no expenses claimed in this financial period.

The Board is responsible for the strategic direction and governance of Hospice. The Board’s principal responsibilities include determining the overall strategy, policies, direction and goals of Hospice; protecting and promoting the identity and values of Hospice; and fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.

A scheme of delegation is in place and the Board delegates the day-to-day operation of the organisation to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) supported by the Director of Care and Quality Governance, the Director of Corporate Services, the Director of Finance and the Director of Commercial and Brand Development. Together they form the membership of the Corporate Leadership Team. The Corporate Leadership Team and the medical lead(s) attend Board meetings but have no voting rights.

There are clear distinctions between the role of the Board and the Corporate Leadership Team. The Corporate Leadership Team is responsible for preparing policy, strategic planning, budgets, financial reports, and risk registers, which are approved by the Board. The Corporate Leadership Team implements the policy, plans, budgets and leads all operational aspects of the charity with the Board continually monitoring these.

The Corporate Leadership and Management Team, comprising of the Corporate Leadership Team and Department Heads, works collectively to lead and manage the various functions of Hospice with an emphasis on effective engagement, working in partnership, and valuing the contribution of all of our people in a supportive environment .

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE (continued)

The Board is supported by Sub-Committees, in the areas of Finance, Nominations and Board Governance, Remuneration, IT Governance, and Corporate Quality Governance.

NORTHERN IRELAND HOSPICE BOARD GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

			Board of Trustees and Company Directors:	Board of Trustees and Company Directors:	Board of Trustees and Company Directors:	Board of Trustees and Company Directors:
			Chair- Dr Gerry Millar, Elected Trustee
Garth Calow, Elected Trustee (Treasurer) Dr Russell Houston, Elected Trustee Ian Sheppard, Elected Trustee Martin Murphy, Elected Trustee Joanne Ramsay, Elected Trustee				Andrew Talbot, Invited Trustee Alan Dickson, Invited Trustee Janice Smyth, Invited Trustee Adele Martin, Invited Trustee Paddy O’Hagan, Invited Trustee
Finance Committee: Chair – Garth Calow	Board Governance & Nominations Committee: Chair – Dr Gerry Millar	Remuneration Committee: Chair – Dr Gerry Millar		Corporate Quality Governance Committee: Co-Chairs – Dr Russell Houston & Heather Weir	IT & Digital Governance Committee: Chair – Paddy O’Hagan	People & CultureCommittee: Chair – Adele Martin
Trustee Membership	Trustee Membership	Trustee Membership		Trustee Membership	Trustee/Independent Advisor Membership	Trustee Membership
Dr Gerry Millar– Chairman & Elected Trustee Garth Calow– Treasurer (Chair or Committee) & Elected Trustee Alan Dickson– Invited Trustee Martin Murphy– ElectedTrustee	Dr Gerry Millar– Chairman & Elected Trustee Andrew Talbot– Invited Trustee Joanne Ramsay– Elected Trustee	Dr Gerry Millar– Chairman & Elected Trustee Garth Calow– Treasurer & Elected Trustee Janice Smyth– Invited Trustee		Dr Russell Houston– Co- Chair & Elected Trustee	Paddy O’Hagan– Invited Trustee Johnny Graham– Independent Advisor Dave Vincent– Independent Advisor	Adele Martin– Invited Trustee Janice Smyth– Invited Trustee Helen Lockhart– Independent Advisor
Staff In attendance:	Staff In attendance:	Staff In attendance:		Staff In attendance:	Staff In attendance:	Staff In attendance:
Chief Executive Officer Finance Director Director of Corporate Services Director of Commercial & Brand Development Director of Care & Quality Governance	Chief Executive Officer Director of Corporate Services	Chief Executive Officer Director of Corporate Services Finance Director		Chief Executive Officer Director of Care & Quality Governance Director of Corporate Services Finance Director Director of Commercial & Brand Development Head of Adult Services Head of Children’s Services Head of Governance, Risk & Performance Management Head of Estates	Director of Corporate Services Director of Commercial & Brand Development Finance Director Head of People & Organisational Development Head of Adult Services Head of Children’s Services Head of Commercial Marketing & Support Head of Governance, Risk & Performance Management Head of Transformation & ICT Head of Corporate Communications Executive Office Manager	Head of People & Organisational Development Head of Corporate Communications

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Finance Sub-Committee

The Finance Sub-Committee (FSC) is responsible, on behalf of the Board for ensuring that all the finances of Hospice are appropriately applied in securing the objects and strategic objectives of the charity and that its assets are properly safeguarded.

The Committee meets at least seven times a year or as required and is made up of at least two trustees with relevant financial experience. The Chair of the Committee is also the Treasurer and reports to the Board at the subsequent Board meeting.

The FSC operates under a Terms of Reference and assists the Board in their responsibility for:

• Reviewing financial strategies and policies.

• Ensuring adequate income is available to deliver the organisation’s objectives.

• Ensuring adequate financial and management controls are in place.

• Monitoring the finance risk register and the arrangements for managing financial risk.

• Ensuring the Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in line with all relevant requirements, guidelines, and agreeing the choice of key accounting policies and principles and advising the Board on whether the annual report is fair, balanced, and understandable and provides the information necessary for users to assess the company’s performance, business model and strategy.

• Managing Hospice’s relationship with the external auditors (including monitoring and reviewing the external auditor’s independence, objectivity, and effectiveness annually).

• Reviewing the recommendations contained within audit reports and ensuring an appropriate implementation process is in place.

Nomination and Board Governance Committee

The Nomination and Board Governance Committee (NBGC) is responsible for ensuring the appropriate composition of the Board of Trustees and that appropriate governance procedures are in place in Hospice. The Committee keeps under review a skills matrix and a succession timetable for Trustees plus a succession process for the Corporate Leadership Team roles. The Committee meets at least twice a year. The NBGC operates under a Terms of Reference and assists the Board in their responsibility for:

• Reviewing the structure, size and composition of the Board and its sub-committees and recommending necessary changes to the Board.

• Reviewing the skills, knowledge and experience on the Board and identifying gaps to be filled.

• Nominating potential candidates and overseeing selection of new appointments

• Ensuring adequate balances of skills, knowledge experience and diversity on the Board.

• Reviewing appointment procedures and documentation and making any relevant recommendations.

• Ensuring trustees are eligible to act under company law and ensuring Trustees complete appropriate paperwork (including ‘Fit and Proper Persons Declaration’ and ‘Declaration of Interests’).

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023 Nomination and Board Governance Committee (continued)

• Ensuring the effectiveness of governance arrangements and compliance with charity and company law

• Ensuring the trustees receive suitable training on governance, and that safeguards and confirmations are in place in respect of conflicts of interest and eligibility of candidates to act as trustees.

• Developing and recommending to the Board, the governance principles that apply to the Hospice, having regard to the Articles of Association and changes to applicable laws and regulation, as appropriate.

• Reviewing the major Board governance risks on a regular basis.

• Reviewing the selection and succession planning process for the appointment of trustees.

• Recommending to the Board on a timely basis the succession plan for the positions of Chair of the Board and the CEO of Hospice.

• Ensuring the Board’s decision-making is not dominated by any one individual or small group of individuals that is detrimental to the interest of Hospice as a whole.

• Reviewing and assessing on an annual basis the adequacy of the Hospice’s corporate governance arrangements and recommending any changes to the Board.

• Reviewing and managing the process by which an evaluation of the Board and its sub- committees is conducted. At a minimum a self-assessment should be performed every two years.

• Conducting an annual appraisal of the Chair of the Board.

Reviewing governance disclosures within the Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements.

Corporate Quality Governance Committee

Corporate Quality Governance Committee (CQGC) is responsible, on behalf of the Board for ensuring all functions in the Charity are compliant with legislation and regulations. The committee focuses on ensuring a culture of quality improvement and learning in the Charity, providing assurance, and escalating risks to quality when necessary to the Board, Regulatory Bodies and Commissioners. The Committee meets at least four times a year and produces an annual quality governance report.

People and Culture Committee

The People & Culture Committee is responsible on behalf of the Board to ensure the culture, values and employee experience are upheld with a focus on health, wellbeing, and personal growth. The Committee will meet four times a year and additionally as may be necessary to ensure the effective implementation of agreed deliverables. The Committee shall consist of not less than two trustees appointed by the Board. This can include the Chairperson.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

People and Culture Committee (continued)

The People & Culture Committee operates under a Terms of Reference and assists the Board in their responsibility for:

• Ensuring there is a systematic approach to assessing and addressing culture, engagement, relationships and behaviours across the Hospice.

• Overseeing the development of a consistent culture where people feel safe and able to raise concerns and have them addressed.

• Ensuring the Hospice’s values and associated behaviours are being practiced throughout the organisation and where issues are identified, there are suitable action plans in place.

• Ensuring the Hospice’s activities are systematically and effectively promoting health, wellbeing and psychological safety.

• Shaping, approving and driving improvements through effective programme management arising from feedback from employee surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, employee forums and any other sources deemed appropriate.

• Determining the KPIs that will inform the priorities and progress for both the Committee and the Board.

• Receiving at least annually an assessment of the Hospice Culture with input from a range of sources (both internal and external)

• Overseeing the effective programme management in place to drive the definition and execution of the key projects

• Agreeing relevant sections of the annual report on all culture and employee engagement matters within the scope of the TOR ensuring they are accurately reflected.

• Approving a statement in the annual report about the culture and employee engagement in the Hospice.

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee (RemCo) is responsible, on behalf of the Board for ensuring that there are adequate processes and policies in place to determine executive remuneration, reward and performance management, which are in line with the Powers outlined in the Articles of Association of Hospice. The Committee meets at least once a year. RemCo operates under a Terms of Reference and assists the Board in their responsibility for:

• Reviewing and approving the level of remuneration and payments to be made in relation to salary, pensions or superannuation schemes for the CEO and the Corporate Leadership Team (informed through benchmarking).

• Reviewing and approving the processes of appraisal for the CEO and the Corporate Leadership Team.

• Agreeing appropriate pay scales and other terms of remuneration for all employees in relation to cost of living increases, pensions or superannuation schemes.

• Agreeing the relevant sections of the annual report in relation to remuneration and expenses ensuring that they meet best practice requirements.

• Providing assurance to the Board that appropriate processes are in place to determine executive remuneration, reward and performance management are appropriate.

• Considering the implications of how the Committee’s work contributes to Hospice’s ability to fulfil its duties under the Equality Act and other relevant legislation.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

IT and Digital Governance Committee

The IT and Digital Governance Committee formally commenced in January 2021. The Committee is responsible for reviewing the IT and Digital Services that currently operate within the organisation and for making recommendations to the Board on changes and improvements that meet the needs of Hospice now and in the future. The Committee meets at least four times a year. The IT and Digital Governance Committee operates under a Terms of Reference and assists the Board in their responsibility for:

• Reviewing the IT and Digital Transformation Strategy for the organisation, ensuring it is at all times fit for purpose and that the associated outcomes meet the needs of the organisation.

• Satisfy itself that appropriate cost-effective budgets are in place to deliver required IT activity as authorized by the Board.

• Reviewing information security protocols.

• Reviewing contingency planning and fallback procedures to ensure these are fit for purpose and provide appropriate continuity for the organisation.

• Ensuring that all expenditure is properly applied in the interests of Hospice and that the organisation obtains value for money in IT spend.

• Reviewing and managing risk associated with IT operations and delivery of new initiatives and to provide assurance to the Board as appropriate.

• Developing and producing an agreed reporting structure that describes IT activity and performance.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Board and Committee attendance

The Board and the Board Sub-Committees met on several occasions in 2022/23. Attendance by each board member at these meetings is set out in the table below. Attendance is shown for each Trustee out of the number of meetings held during each Trustee’s tenure.

----- Start of picture text -----
Name Board FSC N&BG RemCo CQGC ITGov Culture
&
People
David Clements
(Chair until Nov 22) 4/4 4/4 2/2 1/1
Dr Gerry Millar
(Vice Chair until 6/6 2/3 2/2 1/1
Nov 22 then Chair)
Garth Calow
(Treasurer) 5/6 6/6 1/1
Ian Sheppard 5/6
Alan Dickson 5/6 4/6
Dr Russell Houston 6/6 3/4
Janice Smyth 4/6 1/1 3/4
Andrew Talbot 5/6 2/2
Adele Martin 3/6 4/4
Martin Murphy 6/6 5/6
Joanne Ramsay 5/6 1/2
Paddy O’Hagan 4/5 2/2
Steven Cockcroft 1/1
Johnny Graham
(Independent 2/3
advisor)
----- End of picture text -----

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Remuneration Policy

Clinical staff remuneration is in line with Agenda for Change pay scales. Medical staff employed or engaged as consultants in Hospice are remunerated in line with National Consultant Terms and Conditions.

Non-clinical staff remuneration is set within a policy that is appropriate for each specific role. This allows Hospice to be externally competitive and internally fair in how it rewards its staff for nonclinical roles. The remuneration framework establishes an appropriate and relevant market-informed salary range for each role. This is in keeping with relevant industry benchmarks. It does however seek to promote development and encourage and reward excellence where performance is exceptional.

The Corporate Leadership Team remuneration is recommended to the Remuneration Board SubCommittee by the CEO. The CEO remuneration is reviewed by the Chair and recommended to the Remuneration Board Sub-Committee. The Committee considers a number of matters in arriving at its decisions, including performance and benchmarks with other health care charities and sectors.

Hospice operates an equal opportunities policy.

Regulatory Environment

In addition to all legal requirements, Hospice operates in a regulatory environment, governed by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Hospice also voluntarily subscribes to the requirements of the Fundraising Regulator.

Subsidiaries

Northern Ireland Hospice (Trading) Limited

Hospice owns 100% of the issued share capital of Northern Ireland Hospice (Trading) Limited. The principal activity of Northern Ireland Hospice (Trading) Limited is the sale of donated goods and giftware. It operates a network of 24 retail shops in the local area and the Old Schoolhouse Cafe and generates income for Hospice services. The Trading Company donates qualifying charitable donations (covenanted donations) to Hospice under company gift aid rules.

In addition, gift aided donations made to the Trading Company are accounted for in the books of Hospice.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Related Parties

In addition to a register of interests held, declaration of conflicts of interest is a standing item on the agenda for all Hospice Board, and Board Sub-Committee meetings. There were no conflicts identified that required further action.

Ex-Gratia Payments

There were two ex-gratia payments made during the financial year ended 31/3/2022 totaling £4,455 (2022/23 NIL). Both payments related to refunds to donors following transcription errors. In both cases consent was received from the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (Orders 0285 and 0286).

PUBLIC BENEFIT

In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the Charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries.

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Northern Ireland Hospice Trustees Report and Consolidated Financial Statements For the Financial Year Ended 31 March 2023

Directors’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

Company law requires the Board of Trustees (the Board) to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Hospice, and of its profit and loss and cash flows for that year. In preparing those financial statements, the Board is required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently,

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent,

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP,

• State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material

• departures disclosed and explained in the accounts, and

• prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the

• Hospice will continue in business.

The Board is responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Hospice and to enable it to confirm that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. It is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Hospice and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Disclosure of information to auditors

In the case of each of the persons who are trustees at the time the Trustee’s Report and Financial Statements are approved:

• there is no relevant information, being information needed by the auditor in connection with preparing their report, of which the group’s auditor is unaware, and

• the trustees, having made enquiries of fellow trustees and the Group’s auditor that they ought to have individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take, as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

Auditors

The auditors, Finegan Gibson, has indicated its willingness to continue in office, and a resolution that the firm be re-appointed will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 7 September 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

Dr Gerry Millar (Chairman)

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